# Connoisseur's Choice



## Kelsier (Feb 23, 2012)

So in honor of St. Paddy's day, I set out to pick up a tin of Peterson earlier this week. After getting some suggestions, I went with the sole intention of picking up either Irish Flake or Irish Oak. When I got to my local B&M, I was dismayed to find that they only had Connoisseur's Choice, and Summertime 2011 in stock. Damn you Tinderbox! Anyway, I had heard some decent things about CC, and I didn't really wanna spend the $25 they were charging for Summertime 2011, so I bought a tin of CC and proceeded to follow my wife around a crowded mall for the next two hours :ballchain:.

I opened the tin when I got home from work today to see if it would need any drying time. I was immediately hit with a wonderful tin aroma that was strong enough to fill the room in mere seconds. To me it smelled of fruit (plums and raisins maybe) and caramel. My wife walked in and said it smelled great and that it smelled just like chocolate covered raisins. Moisture was actually pretty good straight out of the tin. After dinner, I loaded up a bowl in my Peterson 80s bent bulldog. I got it lit without trouble, and it smoked better than any aromatic I've tried. It does burn a bit hot, so I had to take it slow. Taste was excellent - a bit mild, but those same fruit and caramel notes were present. When I really tried, I could pick up some of the vanilla and rum notes that Peterson mentions in their description(or this could be the placebo affect - who knows). I was worried that this one would be too sweet for me, but it wasn't. Quality Virginias and Black Cavendish shine through and really add to the great casing/topping. The room note is intoxicating - if you have a wife on the border of letting you smoke inside, this may be the ticket in. I could also see this one being very popular smoking in public.

All in all, I'm glad that I tried this blend. It is a quality aromatic that has definitely earned a spot in my weekly rotation. It's right up there with Butternut Burley for me depending on my mood. It's not what I initially set out to get, but it was excellent regardless. If you're looking for a quality aromatic with a flavor other than the stereotypical aromatic vanilla rum type flavor, do yourself a favor and give this one a try.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Thanks for sharing this. Might have to pick some up.


----------



## Zeabed (Apr 23, 2009)

I like CC too and your review is right on the money with this blend. A quality aromatic, but you have to dry it out and sip slowly, as otherwise it will burn hot and be prone to tonguebite. All part of the rich pageant of a pipesmoker's life!


----------



## xeromz (Nov 3, 2010)

Good Review! I am stoked to try this blend!


----------



## DanR (Nov 27, 2010)

Great review. I went to my B&M on Sunday. I had no real intention of buying a new tin (right, who am I kidding), but since they had CC, and I had just read a lot of good things about it, I decided to give it a try. I am smoking it right now, and it's really good. It reminds me a LOT of Peterson's Christmas Blend. In fact, I pulled out my mason jar and compared the two. The tobaccos look the same, and share a lot of the same aromas, but not completely. The Christmas is a little spicier, where this is a little fruitier. Nonetheless, if you liked the Peterson Christmas 2011 but are sad that its not around anymore, get this. You may not notice the difference...


----------



## Tinman Tindall (Mar 15, 2012)

This sounds like a perfect type of tobacco to get my girlfriend on my side about pipes.

Thanks for the review! :thumb:


----------

